Cloudy and gloomy here in Dullsville (didn't Maynard G Krebbs use that term?). My girlfriend failed her driving test again last Friday (which explains why I was so bored Friday night). She had previously taken and passed the written portion of the test and was, therefore, exempt from taking it again. They couldn't find her paperwork and forced her to take it again. The state guy, who would also be giving her the driving portion of the test, remarked twice that the test was to be in English (she has an accent, but her English is excellent)! After the second remark, she told hm that as a Columbia University educated dentist she probably spoke English better than some $10 an hour loser who was forced to work giving driving tests because he couldn't find any other employment -- an almost certainly accurate, but unfortunate, comment. Although she, again, passed the written, he subsequently failed her for "changing lanes too slowly." So, we're practicing again this weekend.

On the way back from such yesterday, Sirius 60s played Marvin Gaye's I Heard it Through the Grapevine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajBdDM2qdg) which brought up in conversation that archetypal Boomer movie, The Big Chill (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085244/). We began discussing this, amidst jokes about my age ("old fart" is a term commonly used), I began to wonder what movie represented best her generation -- The Breakfast Club (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/), perhaps (which she had never heard of)? But when I looked it up on my Blackberry, that depicted high school students in '85 when she was 11!

Although this question remained unanswered, all of this made me start thinking of cultural associations with and representations of the various American generations -- Greatest, Boomers, Gen-X, Gen-Y (are there others?). I think clearly my generation (Boomers) is represented most clearly and fociibly by music, leading (as you knew it would) to the...

TOTD: What cultural art form best represents your generation and what single (TOTD's are all about making choices) individual piece of art -- what song, what novel, what painting -- best encapsulates the goals, aspirations, failures, etc. of that generation? Additionally, could you explicate as to what characteristics of your generation that piece of art most clearly delineates?

This time, I'll provide an answer as well, rather than simply throwing the meat on the table. Without a doubt (at least a doubt for me), the Boomers are best represented in their unique contribution to the world of culture -- rock n' roll. And that song that best represents us, our hopes that flowered in the '60s, were corrupted in the '70s, were postponed in the '80s, and were sought after again in the '90s, is Mick and the Boys singing...

Well, I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would go meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man

No, you can't always get what you want
No, you can't always get what you want
No, you can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime, you just might find
You get what you need

I think we, like Robinson's Johnny Rocco in Key Largo, wanted a single thing from life -- More! And the Stones' lyrics most vocally express our eventual realization that life is finite, that we will die, and that perhaps we won't "get what [we] want."

Or maybe, for something completely different, you might feel this piece of art, found in an Antibes gallery earlier this month for the bargin price of 700 Euros, best represents the Boomers, looking at life always from the outside! :D

TOTD: I guess I'm officially part of Gen X. I don't really know what represents my generation. I always hung out with older people. I was living in the Seattle area when the whole "grunge" scene exploded but I wanted no part of it. The movie "Reality Bites" was supposed to "represent" Gen X. It certainly didn't represent me. Bunch of whiners.

Bubba Dawg

06-22-2008, 02:24 PM

I have to narrow it down to Rock and Roll music to provide the soundtrack and socialization aspects, but the real works of art that did it for me were movies.

I grew up watching westerns and war movies. Standard fare. Good stuff. Then I started watching movies that told the story differently, put a twist on it. I think of movies like Hombre or The Wild Bunch that had elements of the standard western, but did not present the standard hero as the focus of the film. These films, and later ones such as Unforgiven show a grittier more complex telling of the great epic of the West. For me, they demonstrated that there is more to any story or historic event than a straightforward telling of the tale.

I also was very much affected by the movie Cool Hand Luke as a young man. It took me several viewings of that movie to discern elements of the Gospel in the movie, with the character of Luke being a literary type of the Suffering Christ. It also caused me to suspect that the Christian Gospel ceases to actually be the Gospel when it obtains the mechanisms of power in a society. I remember asking a form of that question in an adult Sunday School class at a Fundamentalist church (of which I was a member) saying Is it possible for a nation to actually be 'Christian Nation' and remain true to the ethics of Jesus?

You'd think I had dropped the 'F-Bomb.' I was young and naive, and had never seen people act as if their hair was on fire. But I was earnest. I have also learned since then that most people want to do the right thing, but it is sometimes difficult to know how to accomplish that.

I think of Rwanda and the genocide there, or the Sudan, and would like to 'help' but how do you really go about that?

A good movie that illustrates that is Blackhawk Down. How does a nation deal with a situation like the one in Somalia at that time? We sent in food and troops. We tried to change the political situation that allowed the famine to arise and wound up with dead Rangers being dragged behind vehicles in the street.

I think the realization that good intentions are not always enough. There are real limits to what can and should be done.

LogansPapa

06-22-2008, 02:36 PM

Hotter than Hell here this morning - already 85 - the main highway from Northern OC - Beach Blvd, is crawling along with everyone escaping the insane heat.:cool:

TOTD: ARTIST: Buffalo Springfield / TITLE: For What It's Worth

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

I have to narrow it down to Rock and Roll music to provide the soundtrack and socialization aspects, but the real works of art that did it for me were movies.

Poetry and the novel, or as Eddie says to Frank (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085475/), "Words and music, man!"

I grew up watching westerns and war movies. Standard fare. Good stuff. Then I started watching movies that told the story differently, put a twist on it. I think of movies like Hombre or The Wild Bunch that had elements of the standard western, but did not present the standard hero as the focus of the film. These films, and later ones such as Unforgiven show a grittier more complex telling of the great epic of the West. For me, they demonstrated that there is more to any story or historic event than a straightforward telling of the tale.

For me, it wasn't Unforgiven (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105695/), it was The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056217/) that taught me the same lessons.

I also was very much affected by the movie Cool Hand Luke as a young man. It took me several viewings of that movie to discern elements of the Gospel in the movie, with the character of Luke being a literary type of the Suffering Christ. It also caused me to suspect that the Christian Gospel ceases to actually be the Gospel when it obtains the mechanisms of power in a society. I remember asking a form of that question in an adult Sunday School class at a Fundamentalist church (of which I was a member) saying Is it possible for a nation to actually be 'Christian Nation' and remain true to the ethics of Jesus?

You'd think I had dropped the 'F-Bomb.' I was young and naive, and had never seen people act as if their hair was on fire. But I was earnest. I have also learned since then that most people want to do the right thing, but it is sometimes difficult to know how to accomplish that.

Sort of like the scene wherein Gregory Peck goes into the church to try to recruit a posse in High Noon (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/)?

I think of Rwanda and the genocide there, or the Sudan, and would like to 'help' but how do you really go about that?

A good movie that illustrates that is Blackhawk Down. How does a nation deal with a situation like the one in Somalia at that time? We sent in food and troops. We tried to change the political situation that allowed the famine to arise and wound up with dead Rangers being dragged behind vehicles in the street.

I think the realization that good intentions are not always enough. There are real limits to what can and should be done.

This is the classic RealPolitik vs NeoCon (or Wilsonian) dilema.

Good response, Bubba! :D

megimoo

06-22-2008, 04:00 PM

Cool here lower eighty's with an occasional breeze .

Growing up John Wayne was my hero and making explosives devices was my passion.My High school science teacher made the mistake of putting me in charge of chemical supplies for the school's science fair projects giving me access to all kinds of goodies.

The town had all kinds of mysterious late night explosions but thanks to my delayed action fuses I was never caught.If the BATF had been around I would have been in the slammer at twelve .
My mood music goes from classic banjo and the Banjo duet from Deliverance .

Some classics like La Nozze De Figero.
Some Seventy's music .
lean on me',Bill Withers.
Ain't No Sunshine,again Withers
St,James Infirmary, Arlo Guthrie.
Lay Down Sally,Clapton.
Goodnight Irene,Leadbelly.
Bethlehem Town,Jars of Clay.
Sunshine go away ,Johnathan Edwards.
Tracks from Lloyd Webber,Evita with
Sara Brightman,Don't Cry For Me Argentina.
Most anything from the Eagles, or Alabama.
Hotel California (long Version).
Dust in the wind.
Chicago,When you're good to Mama. and so on,
Tons of Great music on my MP3 to sweat it out at the gym !

DarkScribe

06-22-2008, 06:47 PM

Despite what I have said (jokingly, mostly) in the past, CW, you always have something interesting to say. Our resident pseudo-philosopher, you are. Interesting topic.

TOTD: Hell, man, I'd have to say--since you mentioned it--the 80's film The Breakfast Club. Shannon and I both love that movie and whenever I watch it I am reminded a LOT of high school. I am an '85 high school grad so of course that would be true for me. And certainly not some oh-the-poor-widdle-rich-kids-have-it-so-tough whiby piece of fluff like Less Than Zero. At work I sometimes play the 80's channel (on our in-store Muzak system) because that stuff is nostalgic for me...and a lot of it is actually some damn good music. As far as the previously mentioned John Hughes film, it struck a cord for me then and still does. I wasn't a rebel-rocker, a jock, the popular crowd type, or really a nerd (although my wife might argue THAT point) but somewhere in the middle of all that. Love that theme song from Simple Minds, "Don't You (Forget About Me)"...

Bubba Dawg

06-22-2008, 08:14 PM

Poetry and the novel, or as Eddie says to Frank (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085475/), "Words and music, man!"

For me, it wasn't Unforgiven (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105695/), it was The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056217/) that taught me the same lessons.

Sort of like the scene wherein Gregory Peck goes into the church to try to recruit a posse in High Noon (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/)?

This is the classic RealPolitik vs NeoCon (or Wilsonian) dilema.

Good response, Bubba! :D

Haute Damn. I've got a for real dilema.

And it was Gary Cooper in High Noon.

And I LOVE The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

Ransom Stoddard: You're not going to use the story, Mr. Scott?
Maxwell Scott: No, sir. This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.

I love that line.

Bubba Dawg

06-22-2008, 08:15 PM

Hotter than Hell here this morning - already 85 - the main highway from Northern OC - Beach Blvd, is crawling along with everyone escaping the insane heat.:cool:

TOTD: ARTIST: Buffalo Springfield / TITLE: For What It's Worth

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away